The Internal Revenue Service is warning taxpayers not to believe reports circulating on the internet about a start date for the 2018 tax filing season. The department insists it has not yet chosen a start date, and is waiting to see what Congress does with tax legislation.

In a November 3rd statement, the IRS warned “Speculation on the Internet that the IRS will begin accepting tax returns on Jan. 22 or after the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday in January is inaccurate and misleading; no such date has been set.”

“The IRS has not yet announced a date that it will begin accepting individual tax returns for the 2018 tax filing season. At the present time, the IRS is continuing to update its programming and processing systems for 2018. In addition, the IRS continues to closely monitor potential legislation that could affect the 2018 tax season, including a number of ‘extender’ tax provisions that expired at the end of 2016 that could potentially be renewed for tax year 2017 by Congress.”

The IRS is also cautioning taxpayers against relying on misleading refund charts on the internet that project tax refund dates. “Any speculation about refund dates in 2018 is premature,” said the IRS. “In addition, these refund charts can overlook that many different factors affect the timing of tax refunds, ranging from the accuracy of information on the return to whether a taxpayer files electronically. In addition, the IRS and state revenue departments have increased their security protocols against identity theft and refund fraud, which also can affect the timing of federal and state refunds.”

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As 2018 nears its end

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As 2018 nears its end and we prepare for 2019, our economy continues to change. We invite you to join us for our 2019 Economic Outlook which will provide a forecast of the latest economic trends in Fairfax County, the greater Washington, D.C. area and our national economy.